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General Information

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Why attend?

Held every two years, the UKCF Conference attracts over 300 delegates from the UK, Europe, the United States, Canada and further afield, to the UK’s largest gathering of professionals involved in effective giving, philanthropy or associated areas of expertise – all keen to learn and to share their collective wisdom.

If you work in the field of philanthropy, grant-making or Community Foundations, you will find there is something invaluable to be gained from attending this conference, which looks both outwards and inwards for its inspirational experts. As a delegate, you will find yourself rubbing shoulders with influential thinkers, leaders in the foundation and voluntary sector, finance experts and Community Foundation donors from home and abroad.

The conference theme for 2017 is ‘Leading for Local Good’ and, whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned professional, you shouldn’t miss this opportunity.

How much does it cost?

The UKCF Conference offers an excellent Early Bird Rate and a further 10% discount for groups of two or more 3-day delegates, booked at the same time. Other one-day, two-day and non-member rates are available.

For the most cost-effective package, we recommend:

Booking at the Early Bird Rate – applies to bookings completed and paid for by Monday 7 August 2017 and could save you up to £45* per delegate.

Taking advantage of the 10% group discount – applies to Early Bird and Late Rate bookings for 3-day (member) delegates. This could save you up to a further £41* per delegate.

Checking out the bursary information for UKCF members below.

Booking your accommodation as soon as possible – use the links below. There are options to suit every budget and many within easy walking distance of the conference venues.

Booking your flights or train journeys as early as possible to obtain the best rates.

Accommodation is not included in any of the rates but can be purchased online separately, using the link at a choice of city centre hotels.

Early Bird Rate applies to confirmed bookings for which payments have been received by Monday 7 August 2017.

Apply for a bursary now!

To assist Community Foundation members to attend the conference or to allow other members to send an additional delegate, a small number of bursaries are available. Download the bursary application form and make a short case for support direct to UKCF by Monday 31 July 2017 at the latest (download application form).

We’ll see you in Cardiff!

“The evening events were great fun. I did my best networking there.”UKCF Conference Delegate, 2015

Accommodation

Delegates can access and book a wide range of accommodation options through the link here, at rates negotiated by the Cardiff Convention Bureau. You can search using a map or a list.

Alternatively, delegates can book independently, direct with hotels or guest houses using any of the main online booking sites (see below) but we would strongly recommend selecting city centre accommodation which is within easy walking distance of the three main conference venues Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff City Hall and Principality Stadium.

Getting there

Whichever way you are planning to get to Cardiff, the earlier you book, the better the rates.

By air

Cardiff Airport is situated 11 miles from the city centre. There are regular scheduled flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, Cork, Jersey, Paris, Amsterdam, Geneva, Milan and other European destinations.

Frequent and regular coaches from the airport into Cardiff city centre cost £5* and take approximately 30 minutes.

From London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, there are frequent, direct coach services to Cardiff Central Station. Visit the National Express website for details or telephone +44 (0)8705 808080.

* Correct at 10 July 2017

By rail

The nearest local rail station is at Cathays on the Valleys Lines network, while Cardiff Central is the closest mainline station with frequent services operating between Cardiff and all major British cities. A half-hourly service connects Cardiff with London Paddington Station in less than two hours. Approximate journey times to other cities include:

By bus

Local and regional bus services (Cardiff Bus 21, 23, 25 and 27) regularly pass the front door of the college as do a range of services on the Stagecoach and National Express network. Buses depart from the main bus terminus in front of Cardiff Central train station.

By taxi

Taxis from the Cardiff Central train station will cost approximately £5 – £6.

By car

The M4 motorway, crossing the Severn Bridge near Bristol, is the major road-link to Cardiff and South Wales. The M4 provides a direct route between Cardiff, Heathrow Airport and London, and is easily accessible from other parts of the UK.

Travelling west on the M4:

Leave the motorway at Junction 29, following the A48(M)/A48

Follow signs to the A470/City Centre

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is situated on the A470 on the right hand side, opposite the neo-classical buildings of the Civic Centre, just before Cardiff Castle

Travelling east on the M4:

Leave the motorway at Junction 32, following the A470 towards the City Centre

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is situated on the right hand side, opposite the neo-classical buildings of the Civic Centre, just before Cardiff Castle.

Car parking

The parking spaces at the college are restricted to disabled badge-holders only. However, there are pay-and-display car parks adjacent to the college on either side. There is further parking available throughout the Civic Centre, opposite the college’s main entrance on the other side of North Road, and is operated via a pay-and-display system. There are also a number of multi-storey car parks in the city centre, 5-10 minutes walk from the college.

On foot

Situated in the centre of Cardiff , the college is close to several public transport hubs, making ideal for reaching on foot. The college is just a 20 minute walk from Cardiff Central Station, 15 minutes from Cardiff Queen Street and 5 minutes from Cathays Station.

By bike

The college is also easily accessible by bike. A cycle path along North Road runs directly past the college campus and links with the Taff Trail, Route 8 of the National Cycle Network which runs alongside the River Taff.